Vessel and means for removing caps therefrom



Feb. 27, 1934.

F. L. DARLING VESSEL AND MEANS FOR REMOVING CAPS THEREFROM Filed Sept. 27, 1930 v I I 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Fir/1K1. Far/x219.

ATTORNEY Feb. 27, 1934. F. L. DARLING 1,948,513

VESSEL AND MEANS FOR REMOVING CAPS THEREFROM Filed Sept. 27,, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T15. git b- .16 15 INVENTOR 20W mug-15: fidlilflflarflkg.

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ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 27, 1934 PATENT OFFICE VESSEL AND MEANS FOR REMOVING CAPS THEREFROM Frank L. Darling, Baltimore, Md.

Application September 27, 1930 Serial No. 484,883

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to caps and more particularly to the removal of the same from bottles, jars, and other vessels upon which caps are or; may be employed.

The invention relates to certain improvements upon and modifications of the invention disclosed in my Patent No. 1,664,595, granted April 3, 1928, and the present application is a continuation in part of my co-pending allowed application, Serial No. 315,017, filed October 25, 1928, now Patent 1,777,077, granted September 30, 1930.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved means for mounting the cap remover or opener upon the vessel in such a way that the latter may be readily applied either by hand or automatic mechanism, and may be accurately held against movement upon or dislodgment from the vessel during the filling and capping operations before the cap is applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved securing means for the cap remover, which will retain the latter in an interlocked relation with the vessel until the cap is applied, and which will serve to mount upon. the vessel a remover of resilient construction adapted for use with bottles of various sizes and types.

A still further object is to afford an improved mounting means for the cap remover which requires little or no modification of the vessel and which does not require objectionable modification of the vessel construction.

Other objects of the invention have to do with the provision of an improved opener assembly which will require little or no modification of the standard type of crown cap, and which will permit the latter to be removed substantially without distortion of the cap, whereby the cap, after the seal of the bottle has once been broken, may be reapplied and used until the contents of the vessel have been exhausted.

In the course of developing the inventions of my patent and application above mentioned, I have made a number of improvements which have materially enlarged the field in which the inventions previously disclosed may be applied and the present application has for its purpose to cover these improvements and also certain embodiments of the invention not specifically claimed in the said application.

I have found that by arranging the cap remover so that it will exert a lifting leverage at points accurately predetermined in relation to certain characteristics of the cap, such as the diameter of the cap and the gauge of the cap metal, it is possible to effect a removal of the cap substantially without distorting either the top or the crimped skirt thereby retaining the same in condition to be reapplied to the vessel to preserve the contents not used on the first opening of the vessel. In other words, by spacing circumferentially of the cap, in the manner below explained, the points at which the lifting pressure is applied, it is possible to avoid with the use of my improved resilient opener, substantially any distorting of a crown cap. Moreover, I have found that the resiliency of the opener, preferably obtained by forming the same from resilient wire, directly aids in avoiding distortion of the cap when the lifting leverage is applied at points spaced circumferentially of the cap in the manner described.

The formation of the cap remover from resilient wire enables a remover of the same size to be used with caps of different sizes and which, therefore, require, as herein described, a greater or less spacing of the points at which the remover is secured to the vessel and applies lifting leverage to the cap.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention more closely connected with the details of construction of the various embodiments hereinafter disclosed will become clearer as the description proceeds in connection with the preferred forms shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wide mouth vessel embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the vessel only shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the vessel with the cap remover in place.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure 2, with a remover and a skirted cap in place, the cap sealing the vessel's mouth.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal section on the line 5--5 of Figure 3. 1

Figure 6 is an'elevation ofa portion of Figure 5, without the remover.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a vessel showing how the remover may function as a hanging bail for the vessel after the cap has been removed (permitting the vessel to be used as a flower holder if desired).

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the form shown in Figure 8, showing the cap applied.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 8 but show- Figure 11 is an elevational view showing the remover employed in connection with the Figures 8, 9 and 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing another modification.

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the form shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 14-14 of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is an elevational view of the remover employed in connection with the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 7 and 12 to 14, inclusive.

Figure 16 is a top plan or edge view of the remover shown in Figure 15.

It is to be understood, of course, that the terms employed throughout the specification are merely descriptive of the invention, and do not in any sense define the same; the appended claims make clear the scope of the invention.

The improvements to which the present invention primarily relates have to do with the cap of the crimped or crown type. This type of cap is and may be used with a large variety of sizes and kinds of vessels, for example, containers for carbonated beverages and other pressure products, milk bottles, and food and condiment jars.

Often it is desirable to recap or close the containers after the seal has once been broken. The invention seeks to provide an improved opener assembly which will permit the cap to be removed from any of these containers with substantially no distortion thereof. That is to say, with a minimum distortion of the crimped edge, and no bending of the top or body of the cap, thereby permitting the cap to be again applied to the container after only a portion of the vessel contents has been used. Although this reuse of the cap will not afford a vacuum seal, due to a slight bending or springing of the crimped edge, it has been found that by providing an opener having the characteristics of my invention, a seal will be provided which will protect the contents of the average vessel or jar, even after the vacuum seal has been broken by once removing the cap.

To accomplish this object, the invention provides an opener which is adapted to exert a removing leverage upon the cap at points separated and spaced around the mouth of the vessel, the spacing being determined by the size or diameter of the cap, and, to some extent, by the thickness or gauge of the metal employed in the cap. I have found that with crown caps made from metal of .0010 inch thickness, which is the usual thickness of cap metal, it is desirable to apply an opening pressure at points spaced apart not less than 63 of the total circumference of the cap skirt. In other words, the spacing of the points at which opening pressure is applied to the cap will vary directly in proportion to the diameter or size of the cap. Although separation of these points of not less than 63 of the total circumference has been found desirable, under some circumstances, for instance, when metal thicker than usual is employed in the manufacture of the cap or the cap has reinforcing rings, a slightly lesser separation may be provided.

I have also found that it is practicable to employ a single size remover for caps of bottles of a number of different sizes, although, of course, no single size remover will do for the entire range of bottle and cap sizes. This is possible if an opener of resilient construction is utilized wherey the Same may be extended or contracted for adaptation to any one of the different sizes of bottles with which the same may be used.

Moreover, since the opener is constructed of bendable material, those portions thereof which extend alongside the vessel may be shaped to conform to the contour of the vessel, thereby permitting the same to lie snugly against the vessel wall.

Another characteristic of my invention is the provision of seats or recesses upon the vessel for receiving portions of a resilient cap remover in such a way so that when the remover is placed in position on the vessel it is automatically retained upon the vessel against accidental detachment before and after the cap is applied, and so that the remover remains immovable when placed in position on the vessel as the vessel is being filled and/or the cap is being placed thereon. This is accomplished by spacing the retaining seats for the remover and forming the seats and remover so that the remover is held by frictional engagement at the retaining seats against accidental dislodgment and movement When once placed in position.

In addition, there may be used a supplemental movement resisting and retaining means of the character disclosed in my co-pencling application, namely grooves extending longitudinally of the bottle and serving to produce a lateral gripping of the vessel directly by the spring arms of the remover. This gripping effect may supplement the frictional engagement set up at the seats where the remover is interlocked with the vessel.

These features and characteristics of the invention which have been referred to in a general way will become clearer in connection with the following detailed description of certain forms shown in the accompanying drawings and herein described.

Referring to Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, 1 indicates a wide mouth vessel such as a preserve jar, olive jar or pickle jar, the mouth opening 2 of which is encircled by the mouth head, or rim 4, there being a top sealing edge area 3 provided, against which the packing element, sealing ring or disk, '7 is held by the cap 5.

The cap is of the skirted type (preferably such a cap as the well known crown or crimped-skirt cap now in common use), the skirt 6 of which is designed to overlie the rim 4 and be pressed into holding engagement therewith when the cap is applied for the purpose of sealing the vessel.

Consequently with large mouth vessels the packing element 7 is frequently in the form of a ring while in, the small size vessels such as ginger ale bottles and the like. this element usually is a disk coextensive in area with the inner surface of the cap.

Adjacent the mouth of the vessel and wholly disposed below the level of the sealing edge 3, there are provided spaced seats for the reception of portions of a cap remover of suitable form,

such for example as that shown in Figures 1 and 15 of the drawings. This remover consists of a body having resilient arms spaced apart and which may be sprung apart or squeezed together; the arms have terminal portions to enter and cooperate with said seats for the purpose of holding the remover in place on a vessel with retaining friction (i. e. without resorting to means not inherently present in the remover or the vessel itself).

Preferably the remover used with the embodi- 45 lower walls 11, thereby applying retaining fricment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 7 is formed from resilient wire having suitable rigidity andwhen so formed it includes a reverse bend 14 to provide a pair of spring arms 15 terminating in portions 16 (hereinafter called terminal portions) which are bent as at 17 laterally inwardly and downwardly.

The sockets or recesses 8 formed in the annulus of the vessel are, in the embodiments of my invention illustrated in this application, wholly located belowthe plane of the sealing edge, annulus or area 3, and these sockets or recesses comprise inner or back walls 9 which preferably lie along a chord of a circle. The recesses include circumferentially elongated portions 10 which, in the embodiment now under discussion, extend one toward the other. 11 designates the lower lateral walls of the recesses and 12 indicates the upper lateral walls of the recesses, these walls lying preferably in vertical planes radiating from the axis of the vessel or some point beyond the axis opposite to the location of'the recesses so as to provide, as it were, a wedge shaped lug 18 between adjacent recesses.

As will be seen by reference particularly to Figure 5 of the drawings when the remover is sprung into the recesses the extreme ends 19 of the terminalportions 16 will lie in pressure contact with the inwardly inclined walls 19 which tends continuously to move such ends in a direction toward the back walls 9, thus frictionally holding the remover in place on the vessel.

pressure.

The length of the terminal portions 16 may vary. Sometimes it is desirable that only the ex-' treme ends 19 of the terminal portions of the remover shall engage the vessel with gripping In that event the terminal portions 16 will be made long enough so as to space the arms 15 away from the lower lateral walls 11 (see Figure 5). At other times it is found desirable to provide additional holding means and that is accomplished by making the terminal ends 16 short enough so that the arms 15,.when the ends 19 touch the walls 12, will also touch the tion pressure throughout those portions of the remover which lie in contact with both the lower lateral wall 11 and the upper lateral wall 12 of therespective recesses.

Itis also to be noted that theskirt 6 of the cap 5 overlies the recesses or sockets 8 andeffectively closes the same, thereby holding the remover against removal voluntarily or accidentally with out first releasing the ca 1 j When the cap is to be released'the remover is swung upwardly and outwardly and by its engagement withthe skirt of the cap, it acts as a lever at two places to raise the cap and spring the skirt off of the annulus 4. The remover, during this operation, however, does not become disconnected from the vessel. It may be extended upwardly from the vessel after the cap has been removed andused as a bail to hangthe vessel on a nail or "hook if desired, see Figure 'l.

The interlocking of the terminal portions 16 together with their frictional engagement with the walls 12 of the recesses, is sufficient to enable the weight of the vessel to be sustained by the remover acting as a hanger or bail.

Insteadvof constructing the seats or grooves as shown in the preceding figures, the modified construction of Figures 8, 9 and 10 may be employed.

Referring to these figures, the vessel 21 has a head 22 and a top sealing surface 23 which is not only uninterrupted in acontinuous plane, but is of uniform width throughout. This is accomplished by confining the openings of. the seats for receiving the remover to the side of the vessel adajacent the mouth, i. e. to that portion of the side of the vessel which the skirt of the cap is designed to overlie. For this purpose, I provide seats 24 formed by circumferentially extending grooves, which, in the present instance, are separated by means of a dividing wall 25.

Each recess has an end wall 26 which limits the expansion of theremover and the recesses or seats are spaced apart so that'in order to insert the remover (Figure 11) the spring arms of the same must be placed under tension as in the form previously described, but in the present instance by drawing the arms together, i. e., ,by contraction. The remover is formed of resilient wire having a reverse bend 27 forming spring arms 28, bent at 29 to form laterally and circumferentially extending terminal or hook portions 30 adapted to be inserted into the recesses when the arms are pressed together slightly and tensioned. When the terminal portions 30 of the respective arms are inserted in the respective seats 24 (one in each seat), the arms are under tension and effect a frictional engagement with the end walls 26 of the seats, and when the remover is carried to the position shown in Figure 9, there is 'set up a further tensioning and frictional engagement of the arms by contact of the bent portions 29 with the corners 31' (Figure 10) where the circumferentially extending seats merge into vertical extending grooves 32 disposed so as to receive the arms 28.. These grooves may be extended downwardly any desired distance and supplement the frictional engagement at the seats whereby the remover, by tensioning of the separated spring arms, is held in interlocking engagement with the vessel and against movement thereon before the cap is applied. 1

In this form, as in the form disclosed in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, the cap 33 overlies the seats, as well as the portions of the remover disposed therein, and positively prevents movement of the remover until it is employed for the purpose of lifting the cap.

Another form which the invention may take is shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14. Inthis form, as

in that of Figures 8 and 9,. the vessel 34 has a sealing edge or annulus 35 which is uninterrupted throughout its area and is of uniform width. Interlocking engagement of. a remover with the vessel, as shown in Figure 12, is effected by means of a pair of spaced shoulders orseats 36 which form sockets for the receptionof the bent and inwardly directed ends 16 (Figure 15). These seats or shoulders are disposed below' the sealing edge of the vessel (Figure 12) by cutting back lateralwalls 37 of recesses 38 to provide short vertical walls 39 above the seats. The walls 39 above the seats 36 are spaced apart and form therebetween (Figure 14) a lug 40, which, by reason of the converging planes (preferably approximately radial planes) in which thewalls 37 are inwardly cut above the seats, is of substantially ,of the arms 0f( the remover to insert the same in the sockets or seats 36.

it will be observed that the seats 36 are particularly adapted for the inwardly bent and laterally defiected ends 16 of the remover shown in Figures 15 and 16. The lateral or rearward deflection of the ends causes the same to be positioned substantially at the vertical lines 41 where the two vertical walls above-the seats meet. This formation of the seat and the arrangement of the bent ends of the remover throws the load inwardlyabove the shoulders or seats 36 and, when the remover is lifted, the load is carried by the points or ends 16 of the remover at the inner vertical lines 41 of the seats. Moreover, a lifting of the remover, due to the downward inclination of the ends 16 (Figure 15) causes a frictional engagement of the outer corners 20 with the tops of the recesses, and this frictional engagement tends, to some extent, to snap the remover back from the lifted position into vertical position along the side wall of the vessel when the remover is released. The relatively close relation of the corners 20 with the top wall of the recesses above the seats 36 is shown clearly in Figure 12, and it will be understood that the lifting of the remover brings these corners into contact with the walls of the recesses thereabove.

By forming the remover with its terminal portions bent over downwardly and away from the general plane of the remover as shown in plan in Figure 16, when the remover is being lifted the fulcrum of the lever on the vessel does not take place at the corners of the seats 36 adjacent the lateral walls 37 as would be the case were the terminal ends parallel to the seats. The points of fulcrum, as before explained, are at the extreme ends 16 of the terminal portions of the remover and thus provide a means to offset any tendency of the remover to fulcrum at the corners of the seats 36 adjacent the lateral walls 37 and twist out of the seats while the cap is being removed.

Below the shoulders 36 the recesses 38 are extended downwardly to form grooves 42, and the same may be undercut slightly and spaced sufliciently to assist the shoulders or walls 39 at and above the seats in tensioning the arms 15 of the remover. -Thus, there is provided, in addition to a spring frictional engagement at or substantially in the planes of the seat, a gripping action below the seats. As above pointed out, this secondary tensiomng action may be eliminated, if desired, since the frictional engagement at the seats is found to be suflicient to retain the remover on the vessel before the cap is applied and to hold the remover in the depending position shown in Figure 9.

In all of the various forms described, it will be observed that the vessel provides seats spaced circumferentially of the vessel adjacent the mouth for the reception of spaced portions of a resilient cap remover, the seats being located in that portion of the vessel side which is overlaid by the skirt of the cap. It will also be noted that the formation of the cap remover is such that upon lifting of the same, there is exerted upon the cap, at circumferentially spaced points, a plural or multiple-point leverage. As heretofore explained, it is particularly desirable to locate these leverage exerting portions of the remover so that there will be little or no distortion of the cap, or, in other words, so that the cap will be simply sprung over the bead of the vessel without permanently or to any material extent distorting the crimps. The application of leverage at a single point, particularly upon a cap of any substantial size, will result in a permanent distortion. I have also found that the application of leverage even at spaced points, if the latter are not sufficiently separated circumferentially of the cap, will so distort the cap that further use of the same is not practicable. The exact spacing of the points of leverage will depend upon the size or diameter of the cap, and to a slight extent upon the thickness or gauge of the metal employed. I have found that ordinarily it is desirable that the points of leverage be separated at least 63 of the internal circumference of the cap skirt when the cap is formed of cap metal approximately .0010 of an inch in thickness, which is the gauge of the usual metal employed in cap manufacture. In some instances, it may be found practicable, if the metal of the cap is slightly heavier, or the cap is reinforced, to separate the points of leverage to a smaller degree of the cap circumference. When the points of leverage are separated to this extent, it will be found that it is possible by a lifting movement of the remover, to remove the cap without distorting the cap or body of the same and without substantially or permanently distorting the crimped skirt which will be simply sprung over the bead and will then resume its former shape. This is, to some extent, due to the fact that the remover is of resilient character, being of resilient wire as distinguished from an unyielding body; both the cap and remover being resilient effectively guards against permanent distortion of the cap.

It is to be noted that the remover shown (Figures 11 and 15), because of its resilient character, may be used with vessels of different sizes. Due to the wide range of cap sizes, it will not be possible to use a single size of remover with all caps, but a remover of this type lends itself to use with a large number of cap sizes, and this, therefore, makes a remover of resilient wire one of substantial value when employed with vessels having remover receiving seats which are variably spaced upon different sizes of vessels in the manner described.

As will be understood, molded or glass vessels, such as beverage bottles and jugs, have formed therein a parting seam, indicated at 43, in Figure 12. I prefer to dispose the remover seats adjacent one of these seams and, preferably, I arrange the seats uniformly spaced from and at opposite sides of a parting seam. This disposition of the seats facilitates the manufacture of the vessel with the seats formed therein and makes possible the formation of seats with relatively deep sockets for the reception of the remover ends.

As will be understood, it frequently will be desirable to apply the remover before the vessel or bottle is filled, and always it will be necessary to apply the remover before application of the cap. For filling or capping operations, the bottles are fed in large numbers into filling and capping machines, and the provision of a remover interlocking means of simple and practical form which serves not only to retain the remover on the bottle, but also to resist movement thereof while it is fed through these machines, is an important feature of the invention. It will also be noted that the remover may be readily applied by simply snapping the bent ends 16 into their seats, and the simplicity of this operation will permit the use of automatic machinery for the applicaarms and the frictional engagement of portions of the remover with these walls.

While my invention has been particularly designed for the removal of metallic crimped skirted caps, it is obvious that it may be employed with skirted caps of any character and of other materials than metal, the particular composition ofthe cap being an incidental feature so long as the material of the cap is of sufficient rigidity to resist tearing by the remover.

It being understood, of course, that numerous modifications may be made in the structure illustrated and described without departing from the invention, what I claim is:

1. A vessel having an end provided with a mouth opening and having a circumferential portion at said end which is adapted to underlie the skirt of a skirted cap, said circumferential portion including a side and also a top, the latter forming a sealing surface surrounding the mouth opening which is uninterrupted in the same continuous plane throughout its area, said vessel adjacentits mouth having its side wallsimperforate, the said side of the circumferential portion having a pair of circumferentially spaced recesses constituting seats, said recesses being located wholly in the side of said circumferential portion and below its top.

2. A vessel having an end provided with a mouth opening and having a circumferential portion at said end which is adapted to underlie the skirt of a skirted cap, said circumferential portion having a side and also a top, the latter forming a sealing surface surrounding the mouth opening which is uninterrupted in the same continuous plane throughout its area, said vessel adjacent its mouth having its side walls imperforate, the side of said circumferential portion having a pair of circumferentially spaced recesses constituting seats, said recesses being located wholly in the side of said circumferential portion below the top sealing surface, in combination with a cap remover comprising a member having spaced resilient arms with terminal ends shaped,

to lie in said recesses and engage the seats thereof with retaining friction.

3. In combination, a vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a skirted cap, and having adjacent said mouth imperforate side walls, said mouth having a sealing area, said vessel having a pair of recessed seats located in its sides wholly below said sealing area and within the area of the vessel covered by the skirt of the cap, thereby leaving the sealing area of the vessel uninterrupted by said recessed seats, the recesses forming shoulders at said seats, and a remover formed of resilient material having a reverse bend providing a pair of spaced arms with spaced terminal portions transversely extended to lie in said seats, saidshouldersbeing spaced apart sufficient- 1y to place said arms under tension when said terminal portions are inserted in said seats whereby to provide a retaining frictional engagement of the arms with said shoulders.

4. In combination, a vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a skirted cap, and having adjacent said mouth imperforate side walls, said mouth having a sealing area, said vessel having a pair of recessed seats located in its sides wholly below said sealing area and within the area of the vessel covered by the skirt of the cap, thereby leaving the sealing area of the vessel uninterrupted by said recessed seats, the recesses forming shoulders at said seats, and a remover formed of resilient material having a reverse bend providing a pair of spaced arms with spaced terminal portions transversely extended to lie in said seats, said shoulders being spaced apart sufliciently to place said arms under tension when said terminal portions are inserted in said seats whereby to provide a retaining frictional engagement of the arms with said shoulders, said vessel also having in its side walls grooves which extend longitudinally thereof from said sides, the grooves being spaced sufficiently to tension the arms and frictionally retain the same in the grooves.

5. A vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed v by a skirted cap and having adjacent said mouth imperforate side walls and having an uninterrupted sealing area, said vessel in its outer circumference having a pair of circumferentially spaced apart recesses located wholly below said sealing area and sufficiently close thereto to be covered by the skirt of the cap, and a cap remover comprising a body having resilient bifurcations which are spaced apart and have their extremities bent over to provide terminal portions to lie in said recesses and grip the vessel with retaining friction.

6. A vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a skirted cap and having adjacent said mouth imperforate side walls and having an uninterrupted sealing area, saidvessel in its outer circumference having a pair of circumferentially spaced apart recesses located wholly below said sealing area and sufficiently close thereto to be covered by the skirt of the cap, and a cap remover comprising abody having resilient bifurcations which are spaced apart and have their extremities bent over to provide terminal portions to lie in said recesses and grip the vessel with retaining friction, said recesses having their adjacent side walls lying in inwardly converging planes and said bent-over extremities of said remover being directed toward one another respectively to engage said adjacent side walls of said recesses.

7. In combination, a vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a skirted cap and provided with a sealing annulus having an uninterrupted top surface, the annulus having adjacent said mouth and entirely spaced below the top sealing surface recesses forming seats extending circumferentially of the mouth and spaced apart, an opener of resilient wire having a reverse bend forming arms having end portions spaced circumferentially of the mouth and bent to extend circumferentially thereof, said end portions being engaged in said seats.

8. In combination, a vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a crimped cap and provided with an uninterrupted sealing annulus, said vessel having a pair of recesses spaced below the sealing annulus and also spaced circumferentially of the mouth and forming separated shoulders, said recesses having lateral walls cut back circumferentially of the vessel to form shoulders, said walls above the shoulders being inwardly out along planes adapted to form between the recesses a lug of wedge form in an inward direction, and a remover of resilient wire having a reverse bend forming resilient arm portions provided with terminals laterally bent to lie in said recesses above said shoulders.

9. In combination with a vessel having'a mouth rim adapted to receive a skirted cap,-a cap remover comprising a strip of material having a reverse bend to form spacedarms, and means other than the cap on the vessel for receiving portions of and holding said spaced arms to permit said remover to be pendent from the mouth rim alongside the vessel, said means comprising recesses formed entirely in the sides of the mouth rim to provide hangers for said remover, said recesses being spaced below the top edge of said rim, the top of the rim forming an uninterrupted sealing area.

10. In combination with a vessel having a mouth rim adapted to receive a skirted cap, a cap remover comprising a strip of material having a reverse bend forming arms with separated ends, said ends being bent from the arms toward one another and also being inclined downwardly toward said bend, and means other than the cap on the vessel for receiving and holding said ends whereby the remover will be pendent from the mouth rim alongside the vessel, said means including a pair of spaced indentations formed entirely in the side of the mouth rim and spaced below the top edge thereof, the top affording a sealing edge which is uninterrupted in the same continuous plane and is of uniform width throughout, said recesses having walls spaced apart sufficiently to provide a frictional engagement with the ends of said arms which resist dislodgment thereof from said recesses.

11. In combination with a vessel having a mouth rim adapted to be closed by a skirted cap, a cap remover and means formed wholly in the side wall of said rim and entirely spaced below the top thereof for detachably securing said remover in its operative position on the vessel before the cap is placed thereon, said means including recesses adapted to effect an interlocking engagement with portions of said remover, the surface of the vessel surrounding the mouth above said recesses being uninterrupted over its entire area.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a vessel having a mouth with a rim or bead and having a plurality of recesses formed in said bead and entirely spaced below the top of said bead, said top forming a sealing surface over its entire area uninterrupted in the same continuous plane, the grooves being jointly adapted to receive and hold a cap remover, and a cap remover having portions hooked into said grooves with retaining friction.

13. In combination, a vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a skirted cap and having adjacent said mouth imperforate side walls and a sealing edge uninterrupted in the same continuous plane, the vessel also having formed adjacent said mouth and spaced and wholly located below said sealing edge a pair of recessed seats spaced cireumferentially of the mouth, the recesses forming shoulders of substantially wedge form at said seats, and a remover formed of resilient wire having a reverse bend providing a pair of spaced arms with spaced terminal portions bent and inserted into said seats, the two shoulders being spaced sufficiently to place said arms under tension when the terminal portions are inserted in said seats whereby to provide a retaining frictional engagement of the arms with the spaced I shoulders.

sealing top surface uninterrupted in the same continuous plane and of uniform width throughout, the vessel also having formed adjacent and located entirely below said mouth a pair of recesses forming seats spaced circumferentially of the mouth, the recesses forming shoulders at said seats, and a remover formed of resilient Wire having a reverse bend providing a pair of spaced arms with spaced terminal portions bent and inserted into said seats with the shoulders disposed therebetween, the shoulders being spaced sufficiently to place said arms under tension when the terminal portions are inserted in said seats whereby to provide a retaining frictional engagement of the arms with the spaced shoulders and seats.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a vessel having a mouth and a side wall formed with the usual parting seam, the vessel having a pair of spaced recesses adapted to be engaged by a remover, said recesses being disposed adjacent the mouth and seam and at opposite sides of the latter.

16. As a new article of manufacture, a vessel having a mouth and a side wall formed with the usual parting seam, the vessel having below the top surface of the mouth a pair of spaced recesses adapted to be engaged by a remover, said recesses being disposed adjacent the mouth and seam and at opposite sides of the latter, the top surface of the mouth forming a sealing edge of substantially uniform width throughout and uninterrupted in the same continuous plane.

17. In combination, a vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a crimped cap and provided with a sealing edge uninterrupted in the same continuous plane and of substantially uniform width entirely around the mouth, the vessel having adjacent said mouth recessed seats spaced circumferentially of the mouth, spaced grooves extending longitudinally of the vessel away from the mouth, an opener of resilient wire having a reverse bend forming arms having end portions spaced circumferentially of the mouth, said end portions being engaged in said seats, the latter.

being spaced apart in relation to the arms sufficiently to resiliently tension the arms when inserted therein and thereby provide a retaining frictional engagement of the remover with the vessel to retain the remover on the vessel before acap is applied and the grooves being spaced apart sufiiciently to provide a supplemental retaining friction when the remover is disposed beside the vessel wall, and a crimped edge cap overlying said seats and the end portions of the remover therein.

18. In combination, a vessel having a mouth adapted to be closed by a metallic cap and provided with a sealing edge which is of uniform width throughout and uninterrupted in the same continuous plane, a remover adapted to exert leverage upon a cap positioned thereover at points spaced circumferentially of the cap and mouth sufliciently to substantially prevent distortion of the cap when the remover is raised, and a metal skirted cap overlying said remover.

FRANK L. DARLING. 

